Commercial and recreational fishing is often conducted in shallow water. Both fresh water and salt water shallows are often populated with a variety of fish. Fishermen who fish these waters precisely locate and anchor their boat in areas where the amount of fish caught will be maximized. Oftentimes fishermen will locate their boat where fish are visually detectable within the water through a technique called sight fishing. When using this technique, the fishermen must make every attempt to minimize noise so as not to scare the fish.
Conventional anchors are typically used to anchor a boat when shallow water fishing. A conventional anchor may take on various forms but generally has the form of a mass located at the end of a rope or chain that is in turn attached to the boat. To anchor the boat, a fisherman simply drops or throws the mass into the body of water letting it sink to a bottom thereof.
Unfortunately, several problems arise when using a conventional anchor during shallow water fishing. First, because the anchor is ordinarily tethered to the boat using a rope or chain, the boat will drift when anchored due to currents within the water. This drifting effect can place the boat in an unintended position other than a position most advantageous for shallow water fishing. Second, a loud noise and splash is produced when the anchor is thrown into the water that in turn can scare away the fish in proximity to the boat. Third, the mass often times drags across the bottom surface of the body of water and stirs up particulate matter such that the fisherman's view of fish within the water is obscured. Additionally, the mass can damage the vegetation growing at the bottom of the body of water as it drags across it.
In view of the above problems and limitations of the art, it is desirable to have an anchor that anchors a watercraft within the water such that the watercraft does not drift due to current. It is further desirable that such an anchor function without producing an excessive amount of noise or obscuring the clarity of the water.
Another outdoor sporting activity frequently performed on or near the water is waterfowl hunting, the practice of hunting ducks, geese, or other waterfowl for food and sport. Waterfowl are frequently hunted on or near bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, sloughs, or oceanic coastlines. Boats are used to set up decoys, pick up birds, and travel distances to hunting areas. They can also be covered and used as a blind. Hunters position themselves in camouflage blinds to conceal themselves from waterfowl, while decoys are used to lure the birds within range.
Given the popularity and nature of waterfowl hunting, and the large amount of equipment needed to hunt, it would be desirable to consolidate this equipment by providing a shallow water anchor pole that could also function as a decoy. It is further desirable that this decoy be a removable attachment that could be added to or removed from the anchor pole as needed, and that the anchor pole is designed to allow for the attachment of interchangeable elements as desired by the user.
Embodiments of the present invention provide such an anchor pole. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.